Essential Mac Tools Every Developer Should Have
By EhsanIntroduction
Your Mac is powerful out of the box, but there are some tools that make it even better. Whether you're a developer or just someone who spends a lot of time on their Mac, these tools will improve your workflow.
All of these can be installed via Homebrew, which makes setup super easy. If you don't have Homebrew yet, it's worth getting—it's the package manager for macOS that every developer should have.
The Essential Tools
Stats - System Monitor
What it does: Stats puts system monitoring right in your menu bar. You get real-time information about your CPU usage, memory, disk activity, network speed, and more—all at a glance.
Ever wondered why your Mac is running slow? Stats shows you exactly what's using resources. It's like Activity Monitor, but always visible and much cleaner. You can customize which stats you want to see and how they're displayed.
Install it:
brew install --cask stats
Why you need it: Keep an eye on your system without opening Activity Monitor every time. Perfect for catching memory leaks or seeing which app is killing your battery.
f.lux - Screen Color Temperature Manager
What it does: f.lux automatically adjusts your screen's color temperature based on the time of day. During the day, your screen looks normal. At night, it shifts to warmer colors (less blue light) to reduce eye strain and help you sleep better.
Your location and time zone determine when the shift happens. It's subtle—you barely notice it changing, but your eyes definitely feel the difference at night. No more staring at a bright blue screen in a dark room at midnight.
Install it:
brew install --cask flux
Why you need it: If you code late at night (and let's be honest, we all do sometimes), f.lux saves your eyes and helps you sleep better. Once it's set up, you forget it's there—until you use a computer without it and realize how harsh screens are at night.
CopyClip - Clipboard Manager
What it does: CopyClip is a clipboard manager that remembers everything you copy. Instead of only keeping your last copied item, it maintains a history you can access anytime.
You know that moment when you copy something, then accidentally copy something else, and lose what you needed? CopyClip solves that. Access your clipboard history from the menu bar and paste anything you've recently copied.
Install it:
brew install --cask copyclip
Why you need it: Stop losing copied content. It's especially useful when you're moving data between apps, copying code snippets, or working with lots of text. Once you have clipboard history, you'll wonder how you lived without it.
KeyboardCleanTool - Keyboard Blocker
What it does: KeyboardCleanTool temporarily disables your keyboard and TouchBar so you can clean them without triggering random keystrokes or commands.
It sounds simple, but it's incredibly useful. Launch the tool, clean your keyboard properly without worrying about accidentally opening apps or deleting files, then close it when you're done.
Install it:
brew install --cask keyboardcleantool
Why you need it: We've all tried cleaning our keyboards while they're active and ended up with weird things happening. This tool lets you clean properly without the stress. Your keyboard will thank you.
Rectangle - Window Manager
Update (November 2024): macOS Sequoia (macOS 15) now includes native window snapping! You can drag windows to screen edges and they'll automatically tile. Enable it in System Settings > Desktop & Dock > "Tile by dragging windows to screen edges". If you're on Sequoia or later, you might not need Rectangle anymore.
What it does: Rectangle brings window snapping to macOS. Drag windows to the edges of your screen and they automatically resize to fill half the screen, quarters, thirds, or fullscreen. You can also use keyboard shortcuts for quick window management.
If you've used Windows' Snap feature, Rectangle brings that same convenience to Mac. It makes multitasking way easier—keep your code editor on one side and documentation on the other, perfectly aligned.
Install it:
brew install --cask rectangle
Why you need it: If you're on macOS Sonoma or earlier, Rectangle is essential since native window management is limited. Even on Sequoia, some users prefer Rectangle for its additional features and keyboard shortcuts. It's perfect for working with multiple windows, especially on larger displays.
Quick Setup Guide
If you want to install all the Homebrew tools at once:
# Install Homebrew first if you don't have it
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
# Then install the tools
brew install --cask stats
brew install --cask flux
brew install --cask copyclip
brew install --cask keyboardcleantool
brew install --cask rectangle
Productivity Boost
These tools might seem small individually, but together they make a real difference in your daily workflow:
Better Workflow:
┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Stats → Know your system health │
│ f.lux → Protect your eyes │
│ CopyClip → Never lose copied content │
│ KeyboardTool → Clean without worry │
│ Rectangle → Organize windows fast │
└────────────────────────────────────────────┘
You don't realize how much these help until you try working without them. Give them a try—most are free or very affordable, and they'll save you time every single day.